Niklas Räsänen was founding Gettogym and helping young people towards a better tomorrow.
Niklas Räsänen told about his decision on Facebook. Jani Kakko
Niklas Räsänen has left his job at Gettogym. The professional boxer told about his decision on Instagram.
The fighting hall located in Myyrmäki, Vantaa was opened in early 2024. The local hall’s aim is to help children, young people and even adults off the streets, gang crime and violence. Räsänen was one of its coaches.
– Since 2007, when I started boxing, I carried with me a dream about how I could do youth work through boxing. I felt it was my place in the gym to help the weaker and get stronger myself. I have seen lives change for the better, Räsänen began his emotional update.
The dream came true with Gettogym. However, he decided to step aside a couple of months ago due to “conflicts of values”. He wanted to highlight one flaw in his writing.
– So it seems wrong that we created a “cool” place where young people from near and far wanted to come, but basically only those who had made stupid choices in their life or were at risk of making them could get there.
– So many times I saw how a young person came with bright eyes and hope to be able to train, but after a short introduction and screening, I have to turn him out of the gym, because he didn’t belong to our target group.
Räsänen said that the young people wondered what was wrong with them when they were not fit to train.
– Among other things, this is the reason why Gettogymi as it is should operate incognito and through the authorities as corrective or aftercare. If wider prevention is sought, the place should be open to everyone, like youth centers.
Räsänen was founding a gym together Miika Mehmet’s and by Charlotte Pettersson with.